Hayward Police Officer Accused Of Sexually Abusing Girls

Officer Richard McLeod of the Hayward Police Department is accused of sexually abusing several girls in Livermore before becoming part of the force. (Livermore Police Department)

Officer Richard McLeod of the Hayward Police Department is accused of sexually abusing several girls in Livermore before becoming part of the force. (Livermore Police Department)

LIVERMORE (CBS SF) — A Hayward police officer was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of sexually abusing several girls in Livermore before he became part of the force, Livermore police said Monday.

Hayward police Officer Richard McLeod, 38, of Livermore, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of sexual conduct with girls between the ages of 12 and 14 while he was working at the Kids Zone in Livermore between 1998 and 2007.

The Kids Zone is an after-school program for middle school students. It is located at 6500 Garaventa Ranch Road.

According to Livermore police, the abuse occurred before McLeod became a police officer and there is no evidence that the sexual abuse occurred while working as an officer.

The Hayward Police Department has placed McLeod on administrative leave since his arrest.

According to jail records, he will be arraigned at the Gale-Schenone Hall of Justice in Pleasanton Tuesday afternoon.

He was booked into Santa Rita Rail in Dublin and is being held on $750,000 bail.

Livermore police are looking for more information about the ongoing investigation. Those with information are asked to call Livermore police at (925) 294-7531.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)